


Return

by FairyLights101



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-02
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-09-27 19:34:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10042793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairyLights101/pseuds/FairyLights101
Summary: “I thought… I thought you wouldn’t come back,” he croaked, voice trembling in Shirabu’s ears.His heart twisted viciously as he shook his head, pressed close. “Of course I’d come back,” he said hoarsely.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ZeitsGlass](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZeitsGlass/gifts).



> zeitsglass said to fairylights101writes:  
> #12 for goshira  
> 12\. "waIT DON'T RUN AT ME I'LL FALL

Shirabu had told himself a lot of things over the course of the last few years: study hard to get into Shiratorizawa Academy; become the perfect, quiet setter for Ushijima, barely visible as he pulled the strings from the shadows; help carry his team to nationals; practice longer and harder to beat Karasuno to make up for their loss in his second year; stay away from the gym at all costs. Specifically, the gym at Shiratorizawa Academy. The same one that the volleyball team occupied almost religiously for three hours every single day after school, Monday through Saturday. 

The same one he hadn’t set foot in for nearly four months, ever since that final day at the school, the last before graduation, where Goshiki had held him back after practice and used the towel around his neck to pull him in for a sweet, gentle kiss. 

There were too many memories, good and bad, that he still had yet to sort through, or maybe come to peace with. Or maybe both. But at the same time it felt  _ good _ to be back within those four walls, the familiar scent of sweat and muscle creams and a dozen other things filling the air, mixing with the sounds of practice. Volleyballs connected with hands primed for spikes and smashed to the floor. Shoes squeaked as teenagers in purple and white and black darted around, half of them running through endurance drills, the rest working on spiking and receiving. And, in the center of it all, was Goshiki, standing tall and proud, his too-long bangs bobby pinned back, a bright grin on his lips. 

“That’s great Hachiro, excellent form! Next time try and bend your legs a little more before you jump, okay? That’ll get you higher! Oda, remember that he likes his sets further away from the net, that’ll make sure Hachiro gets the best spike he can.” 

The two teens nodded and chirped confirmations that they would work on it, and then Goshiki fell into line so he could go. Another setter stepped forward, a first year Shirabu didn’t recognize. A mock spike came from a manager by the net and those in the back of the line for spikes moved to bump it up to the setter. Goshiki darted forward, a first tempo strike, and he burst into the air, higher than ever before, and Shirabu could only stare, wide-eyed, as Goshiki seemed to  _ fly,  _ hanging in the air for an impossibly long time before his body snapped forward and his hand collided with the ball. It shot down and the receivers on the other side moved, but it shot between two identical dark-haired boys, who grimaced at each other. 

Exclamations from the girls on the upstairs portion drew eyes, but Goshiki’s attention was solely on the court, grinning as his teammates praised him and clapped his back. He stepped back out to the side to watch, eyes far sharper than they had been just a few months ago. Having the position of ace passed to him had brought a whole new level of focus. That and bearing the title of captain finally, having done more than enough to earn the title the year before after being meticulously groomed.  _ He deserves it. I should have come sooner.  _

He had excuses - too much schoolwork, volleyball practices of his own, not enough time between the two of them, too much distance for a single visit. But his university had released students already for summer break, leaving him free for three days a week while they filled the others with four and five hour practices. He had no excuse to stay away now, no excuse to not try to sort through his feelings. To finally say what he should have said before - not that he even knew what to say.  _ Maybe I shouldn’t have come.  _

But part of him, a huge, selfish part, craved the teen with the stupid bowl cut hair who ran around the court with bright eyes. He wanted his attention, his smiles, his laughter. Shirabu ran his hand down his face.  _ Stupid. You should have just agreed to date him at the time. Shit probably would’ve been easier.  _ But it was hard to know. He hadn’t been prepared, hadn’t realized the depth of his own emotions and attachment to the now-ace, though Goshiki - and everyone else on their team - had been aware enough of it.  _ Too bad they decided to not enlighten me. Bastards.  _

Shirabu sighed and leaned against the railing, eyes sharp as he took in Goshiki’s movements, fluid, feline, even more graceful than they’d been just a few months before. Sometimes the coach would pull him aside and gesture around, to which Goshiki bobbed his head and spoke, voice hushed and face serious, before the coach clapped his back and sent him back to the drills. Other times he pulled some of the other players aside and discussed quickly with them what they needed to change, or maybe what they were doing right. 

Goshiki had a smile for everyone - but somehow they  _ felt  _ different. Somehow they weren’t quite right, the crook his his lips a little wrong, the light in his eyes a little off. Or maybe that was because they weren’t the smiles  _ he _ was used to, the ones solely for  _ him.  _ Soft, shy smiles where Goshiki’s eyes crinkled and those dimples appeared, cheeks flushed with excitement and something more.  _ He’s really grown.  _ Somehow he’d missed it all in the two short years they’d had together, but now, after four months apart, it was stark. He’d been an awkward, gangly kid when he’d first stepped onto the court. And now - now he was a young man on the cusp of something  _ wonderful.  _

Shirabu couldn’t help the feral smile that crept to his lips.  _ I want to set to him.  _ It softened a second later with a shake of his head.  _ I want to do more than that. So much more.  _ He shook his head, cooled his expression, and sank back onto the bleachers behind him. 

The practice carried on, the drills familiar, expected even. The groups of girls left long before they finished, but Shirabu hung around, the urge to stay irresistible. But not once did those brown eyes flick up to him. All too soon they finished practice though, and as they started to clean Shirabu rose and trekked downstairs and stood just outside the gym doors, waiting, listening. 

One by one people began to leave, some of the second years greeting him quietly, and he waved back, slowly counting the numbers down until only one hadn’t yet trickled out - one who was tall and lithe with muscle with a bowl cut he hadn’t yet outgrown and an infuriatingly beautiful smile. The sharp smack of a volleyball made him twitch. A wry smile spread across his lips.  _ Of course he’s practicing a little more. Idiot, he needs to be careful.  _ He already had one knee in a light-duty brace from the looks of it, and God knew he’d be  _ devastated _ if anything bad happened. 

Shirabu sighed, shook his head, and slipped into the gym. Goshiki’s back was to him, another ball already in his hand. His tongue was stuck out, careful and focused as he spun the ball in his hands as his body tensed. He shifted forward, a move infinitely smoother than his first year, and tossed the ball up into the air, shoes squeaking in the silence as he leapt up after it, soaring above the earth. He hung there for a moment and Shirabu could only watch, breathless, as Goshiki snapped forward. The ball shot across the net and slammed down in the back corner, a powerful strike painfully reminiscent of Ushijima’s, both in terrifying power and accuracy. Shirabu couldn’t help but smile. 

_ He’s changed so much.  _

Goshiki hummed happily to himself and studied the court for a moment before he spun around, lips pursed to whistle when he froze, eyes flying wide as they snapped back to Shirabu. He offered a weak smile and a tiny wave. The younger teen’s body went loose as his face went slack, eyes still widening, mouth in a small ‘O’. “S… Shirabu?” 

He snorted and shook his head. “No, it’s your fucking mother.” 

The change was instantaneous, a  _ radiant _ smile blossoming as Goshiki  _ squeaked _ and darted forward. “Shirabu!” 

His eyes snapped wide and he took a step back, on the threshold of the gym, and raised his hands. “Wait, don’t run at me,  _ I’ll fall _ !” 

Goshiki tackled him anyways, but Shirabu somehow managed to keep him upright as muscular arms wrapped tight around him while the scent of sweat and deodorant filled his nose. A nose pressed into the top of his hair as his face ended up pressed against the sweaty front of Goshiki’s shirt, his nose crinkling, even as his hands curled into the back of Goshiki’s shirt, so tight that he felt the other’s shoulders hitch slightly. 

“I thought… I thought you wouldn’t come back,” he croaked, voice trembling in Shirabu’s ears. 

His heart twisted viciously as he shook his head, pressed close. “Of course I’d come back,” he said hoarsely. 

Goshiki just squeezed him tighter and shook his head. One breath rattled into him, then a second. His lips pressed to the crown of Shirabu’s head. “I… I messed up, didn’t I? I’m sorry, I-” 

“You didn’t mess up.” Goshiki froze, made to step back, but Shirabu pressed him closer, ignoring the sweat, the heat. “That’s not… you didn’t. I’m just… not smart. Not in this aspect.” Goshiki laughed, almost hysterical, as Shirabu ran his tongue over his teeth, tried to find his words. “I like you. I just… didn’t know it at the time. And I should have.” 

Goshiki’s fingers spasmed on his back, then tightened, clutching him desperately as Goshiki leaned back. Tears were in his eyes, lips wobbling as he stared down at Shirabu, speechless for a painfully long moment. He smiled. “Does that mean I can kiss you now?” 

Shirabu smiled. “Yeah. You can.” 

And this time he didn’t run away. 

He just let those huge, warm hands cup his face as Goshiki leaned in and brushed their lips together, almost scared, before he smiled and pressed in closer, kissed Shirabu harder. Goshiki lingered there, just for a second, before he pulled back, still cradling Shirabu’s face as he stared at him, struck with wonder, dazed. And then his gaze sharpened as he grinned. “Set to me. Just like before.” 

Shirabu snorted, but he didn’t protests as Goshiki linked their fingers together, warm and sure, and pulled him along to the court, falling into old rhythms and new with every breath, every step. Shirabu just smiled, something fluttering in his chest, as he squeezed Goshiki’s hand tight.

**Author's Note:**

> Yo leave a comment if you liked  
> Hit me up at [fairylights101writes](http:fairylights101writes.tumblr.com/) on tumblr for more ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ


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